Hedge-trimmer



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

4 J. HOOPES & E; MARVIN.

HEDGE TRIMMER.

' No. 416,263. Patented D60. 3, 1889.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)-

J. HOOPES & E. MAR IN.

HEDGE TRIMMER.

No. 416,263; Patented Dec. 3, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB IIQOPES AND ERIGUS MARVIN, OF STERLING, KANSAS.

HEDGE-TRIMMER.

SPECIFICATION forming part. of Letters Patent No. 416,263, datedDecember 3, 1889.

Application filed January 2, 1889.

T0 (LZZ whom it nary concern:

Be it known that we, JACOB HOOPEs and ERIGUS MARVIN, citizens of theUnited States of America, residing at Sterling, in the county of Riceand State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin lIedge-Trimmers; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will onableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to lettersor figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

Our invention relates to improvements in hedge-trimmers, to be morefully hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention consists in the use of a traveling carriage having anadjustable yoke attached thereto provided with band pulleys or rollers,over which a band-saw is mounted.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine of this class havingan increased operating facility, simple, strong, convenient, and durablein construction, and easily handled and operated. We attain this objectby the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinlike letters of reference are used to designate similar parts in theseveral views, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of theimproved machine. Fig. 2 is a detail view, in elevation, of apart of theyoke. Fig. 3) is a transverse vertical section on the line a: so of Fig.2. Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the guide-fingers.

A indicates two longitudinal strips-forming part of the frame of thecarriage, having boxes a secured thereto and surrounding an axle A Therear ends of said strips A are united by a cross-strip A and the forwardend of one of the strips has a depending short standard a attachedthereto, and the opposite strip a vertical standard a, connected theretoand extending above and below the same. The lower ends of the standardsa and a are connected by a cross-strip A, which projects out-ward fromone side of the frame. A draft-bar is securely attached to the strip Aof the carriage-frame, and has a box 5 attached thereto, which surroundsthe axle A". To this draft-bar the tongue and Serial No. 295,169. (Nomodel.)

whiflletree are adapted to be attached. The axle A is provided withground-wheels W, to one of which an annular gear W is secured. A shaft Bis supported by and has bearing in hangers b, secured to and'dependingfrom the under side of the strips A of the carriageframe. The shaft Bhas gears b secured at or near the ends thereof, one of which is in meshwith the annular gear V. A countershaft B is supported by strip A of theframe by means of a boxing b. The one end of said shaft has a beveledgear 12 mounted thereon, which meshes with the gear I) of similarconstruction on the shaft B. The opposite end of said counter-shaft Bhas a drivepulley P keyed thereon, for purposes which will be more fullyhereinafter set forth.

A yoke O is provided, and one side thereof is hinged to the projectingend of the strip A of the carriage-frame, as shown at 0*. Through theupper part of the standard 01 passes a screw-rod D, provided at one endwith a hand-crank, and engaging at its other end with the upper part ofone side of-said yoke C. By this means the said yoke may be adjustedin-such manner as to compensate for uneven ground over which the wheelsV of the carriage may run, thereby at all times keeping the said yoke inproper position. The yoke O has a top extension 0, with a bifurcated box0 formed at the upper part thereof, in which a sliding block 0' ismounted, and made adjustable therein by means of a vertical screw-rod 0The upper end of said adjustable block 0 is provided with a stubshaft ofany preferred form, on which the upper pulley P is mounted. The lowerpart of the outer side piece of said yoke O is formed with an angularbend 0 to provide abearing for a lower pulley P A saw S is mounted onthe pulleys, as shown in Fig. 1, and passes up around the inner opposingsides of the yoke C, being guided therein by mechanism which will bemore fully hereinafterset forth. By operating the slide-block c in theupper part of the yoke-extension C the said upper pulley P may be raisedor lowered to tighten or loosen the band-saw S, running thereover, aswill be readily understood.

Situated at regular intervals on the inner surfaces of the opposingsides and the arch of the yoke C are sawguide-fingers E. \Vher- IOG overthese guide-lingers E are to be applied the said surfaces of the yokeare formed with recesses to receive a securing-flange 0', formed withthe main member (2 of said linger. This attachment is made secure andfirm by the use of bolts and nuts 0*, as shown in Fig. 3. The mainInemberc of said bracket is recessed to receive rollers 0 over which atop or cap plate e is secured by means of bolts and nuts 0 A recess c isformed in said plate 0 of suflicient depth to permit a space between thesurface of the roll and the bottom wall of the recess, and the plate isalso provided with oiling apertures 6*, arranged on opposite sides ofthe recess 8 and over the journals of the rollers, as shown in Fig.These spaces provide means for the passage of the saw-blade or band S,which is thereby guided in its movement through the yoke. The fingers E,attached to the vertical sides of said yoke 0, need not be provided withrevolublc rollers e, as it would be an unnecessary construction, thefree guide of said saw being all that is desired to be obtained, thoughI contemplate fitting all the fingers with rollers, for the sake ofinterchangeability. 'lhroughont thelengt-h of the arch of said yoke,however, as shown in Fig. 3, rolls c revolve to take up friction andgive easy passage of the saw. The fingers serve not only to carry thesaw over the arch, but also form shoulders against which the hedgebranches abut while the sawcuts them. The rolls c are held in place bythe tension of the saw, and the cap-plates e serve to keep smallbranches from getting under the rollers.

As shown in Fig. 1, the saw travels through the yoke and cuts upwardlyand downwardly, the cutting being done by said saw only throughout. thepart thereof which passes within the yoke C, which straddles or embracesthe hedge to be trimmed. As the carriage moves along the gear is set inoperation and the bandpulleys revolved and the saw set in motion. As thesaid yoke 0 passes over the hedge the uneven parts thereof are clippedor cut by the saw and the outline of the hedge made to conform with thatof the said yoke 0.

As hereinbefore set forth,the yoke may be adjusted to hzwe the saw cuton a perpendicular line while the carriage and frame are running at anangle thereto.

.llaving thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a hedge-trinnner, the combination of a carriage carryingadriving-pulley and suitable operating-gear, of a transverse adjustableyoke attaehed thereto, having pulleys in connection therewith, and aband-saw traversing said pulleys and yoke,substantially as described.

2. In a hedge-trimmer, the combination of the carriage having suitabledriving-gear, a transverse yoke attached thereto, and a bandsawtraversing said yoke, substantially as described.

3. In a hedgc-trimn1er, the combination, with the carriage havingsuitable drivinggear and a standard a, of a transverse yoke hingedthereto carrying pulleys, a band-saw traversing said yoke and pulleys,and an adjustable screw-rod operating in connection with said standardand yoke, substantially as described.

4. In a hedge-trimmer, the combination of the carriage having suitabledriving mechanism and a band-pulley, a transverse yoke adjustablyattached thereto havinga stationary and an adjustable pulley,guard-fingers having rollers secured to the inner portion of the sidesand arch of said yoke, and a band-saw surrounding said pulleys andengaging the rollers of said fingers, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the yoke C of a hedge-trimmer, of theguard-fingers provided with rolls and with rccesscdca1')-plates abovethe roll and aband-sa-w passing over the rolls and through the recessesof the capplatcs, substantially as described.

6. A traveling hedge-trimmer having atransverse arched yoke,guard-fingers mounted thereon having rollers, and a band-saw traversingsaid yoke upon the rollers, as set forth.

In tcstimon y whereof we atfix on r signatu res in presence of twowitnesses.

JACOB HOOPES. ERIGUS MARVIN.

\Vitnesses:

(1. W. I TODGE, .I. S. HANNA.

